800 Drifter New Paint and Parts with Reviews

[Tfrank59]

OK fair enough. My bike ran like crap with stock jetting and the aftermarket exhaust – way too lean, it wouldn't even warm up in colder weather.  I didn't want to re-jet but really had no choice (and I did it on the advice of those on this forum ). Good, and a bit surprising, that your bike runs right if it has stock jetting with those modified pipes.

[Trall]

She is a beauty nice work! You didn't mention anything about re-jetting your carb with those Road burners – is that next or is it done?

I did mention- No Rejetting.  I used the advice from Wolf's Bike Shop said- Vendors and dealers tell you to rejet when changing the exhaust system for one or more of three reasons; they don't know any better (hardly likely with vendors), money, and liability. Dealers, service managers, and wrenches may not know any better, so they tell you to rejet because they were told to. If you choose to rejet, the vendor gets to sell you their jet kit, or the dealer does, which amounts to the same thing, only it costs more due to dealer markup. The dealer then gets more money for the labor of installing the kit. The liability issue is purely CYA; if your motor burns up because it was running too lean, both the dealer and the vendor can say, "You were told to rejet..."

Simple fact; it just isn't necessary. However, as new bikes are generally set at the factory to run very lean, it would benefit you to open up the idle mixture screw ½ a turn or so.    http://www.angelfire.com/ak5/russwolf/faqs.html

.........After test driving she purrs without any backfire or burps....

[Tfrank59]

She is a beauty nice work! You didn't mention anything about re-jetting your carb with those Road burners – is that next or is it done?

[LarryInSeattle]

Nice job!

[Trall]

ANOTHER REVIEW, I FORGOT ABOUT-

INSTALLED - A brake light modulator that gives off 5 hyper flashes when brakes are applied (Can be set differently)  Used to ALERT drivers behind you that you are braking and they should as well .  Name- Magic Strobe Universal, Cost $59.95 Item #Magic-Strobes-Uni, It was a little difficult at first have the brake light apart to find an inside area to house the brain box but there was room without changing anything was you get to looking and trying. I used a zip tie once I found spot.  Tight space but enough wires to Splice wires and use Marine grade heat shrink to splices and ready to pull and play.

INSTALLED- Name- LICENSE PLATE BOLT WHITE AND RED BOLTS LIGHTS.  Part # 2030-0537 Cost $26.95. Placed above the Lic Plate original brackets, remove center reflector, bolt on the two light bolts, it took a lot of time to run wires through existing wiring harness from outside of fender to inside of fender harness and back out to where the quick connect/disconnect is and again spliced into wires and used high quality outdoor electrical tape because the factory wires are so short but they are also protected being underneath factory lic. plate bracket housing on outside of fender.  That way rear fender is still removed from factory quick disconnect harness.  Tight space and major pain in the neck but take your time.
The two lights on Lic Bolts are white that aims downward on plate and red that drivers behind you see.  The red lights can be added to your turn signal or brake lights maybe both IDK but I added them to turn signal wires for extra attention.  With the above brake light modulator not needed for brake light extra attention.

Last but not least a plug and play brake light LED bulb replacement.  Part numberGEN-20-R-1157, Name- Genesis 2.0" Direct Base Red 1157. Cost $32.95  Brighter is better. Also longer lasting.

All bought from Custom Dynamics, 15 Cypress Drive, Youngsville, NC. 27596
Ph # 800-382-1388  www.customdynamics.com

*Remember your also splicing the wires to the correct side of quick disconnect wires so items can be removed and fender removed as needed.

[Trall]

Thanks for all the comments. It's nice to have all the work done and now time to enjoy.

All I need is a 800 speedo visor to finish her off.  Anyone?

[Pilgrim]

Nice! Looks like a bike show winer to me. Good work..

[Trall]

I am keeping the stock part and putting it away. I am getting a new one made to make it work with my new shifter knob.....and once it gets done I'll post pictures if it comes out the way I hope it does.....

CAN'T WAIT TO SEE.  I know you mentioned in the past you wanted to try a do a one off, a original...........

[CDNRatMan]

  I am keeping the stock part and putting it away. I am getting a new one made to make it work with my new shifter knob.....and once it gets done I'll post pictures if it comes out the way I hope it does.....

[Trall]

Trall, going to contact a fella to make me a new shifter lever.....lol pictures soon

What do you mean the complete L shaped bracket or just the Knob for the thread on knob piece? Why?

[CDNRatMan]

  Trall, going to contact a fella to make me a new shifter lever.....lol pictures soon

[tj]

Nice job!...shifter is very cool!

[JagLite]

Beautiful!
Thanks for the info and reviews.
Always helpful to know

[mittico68]

Cool lookin' baby!
And that seat rail really matches the two-tone color.
Well done!

[greenbarn]

That turned out great, Trall.  I like the 2-tone a lot.

[Old Drifter]

Trall, congrats on a great looking Drifter...well done!

[CDNRatMan]

  Very nice result and the bike looks really good but all that chrome....bright...lol.....

Your most welcome and anytime you need help just email me.....

[Trall]

Finally after the three months of waiting for parts to be painted and a week to reassemble here's my new painted Drifter 800 with some parts reviews-

Reviews-

1st-  Universal Vista Motorcycle cruise control-  Great throttle lock and easy to install.  Priced around $30 and  works as good as my former bike Breakaway unit that cost $200.  To install I used water and dish soap and slid over my factory grips.  5 minute install.

2nd-I put on some Grab On replacement sleeves.  Shock absorbing foam grips.  Cost around $10 on Amazon.  I like a little thicker grip.  I leave the factory foam in place.  After Vista Cruise in place. Cut foam grips as needed.  I placed cut end on first with water and plenty of dish soap.

3rd- Black studded Leather floor board fringe.  Good quality.  Bought for $65 on Ebay from TRD Leather in Ohio.  Leave metal floor boards in place and remove rubber top piece by lifting up and pulling the rubber stoppers from underneath and lift up as you go (some small stoppers and two large round ones..  Place board fringe on top of floorboard and use metal pointer scribe from underneath and mark corresponding holes .  Use drill bits or hole saw to cut out holes.  I then pressed and pulled and lined up stoppers.  It was a pain but finally got them all down.

4th-  Installed National Cycle N940 Lightbar.   Also N9001 Lightbar Switch.  I am no electrical master.  I read instruction, search for online videos and called customer service more then once to make sure I am doing it right.  When I first called National Cycle customer service to ask questions the first person I could tell did not know much like me, I asked who in Customer Service knew the installing process really well and talked me through it for both the lights and extra switch.. the switch is not needed since there is one on lights but wanted one on handbars.   I used Marine heat shrinking wraps for hardwire connections.  Looks perfect. Cost $300
**The call Three Lights the triangle of safety.  More oncoming traffic to identify you.  Run the lights day and night for safety.  Just like trains started off with one light more accidents, added three lights triangle of safety less accidents

5th- RoadBurner Street pros Exhaust.  Drifter sounded like a house cat when angry and now sounds like a Siberian Tiger.  Great deep throaty sound.  On ebay cost new for $400 with shipping.  To install placed blanket on ground, left stock fully assembled and removed rear bracket from bike frame. Then removed all four exhaust nuts.  Place towel over right side floor board and carefully twist and removed easy with no other disassembly like instruction mentioned.  Assembled Roadburner exhaust fully assembled with rear tip bracket and middle main bracket to exhaust which is a pain because of the tight space.  When all tight and finished and towel on floorboard position exhaust in place and secure with the four new nuts they supplied and two frame bolts for middle bracket and installed.
***Important buy and install two new exhaust gaskets (KAWASAKI EXHAUST GASKET PART #- 11060-1680) and as your installing pipes pay close attention they don't fall off before you have nuts tightened.   Did not rejet.  No back fires.

6th- Changed front fender Indian Light with LED white bulb 66-015-LED.  Brighter and lasts longer. $16

7th-Chilhowee Motorcycle Leather.  Custom made mud flaps.  High quality and look Perfect.  Cost $176.  I had fenders off bike and  used spring rubber tip clamps to hold flap in place once positioned.  Then used 3/8 close qtr's drill because of tight space and drill holes.  Used supplied nuts and bolts.

8th-Indiain head War Bonnet – Gold. From winnerscyclegraphics.com $77.50  Painter said hard to install but it ties in the white and gold accents on my bike.

9th-  Two new Shinko Tires.  Took rims off bike to nearby bike shop and $279 total to install.

10th- 4 inch leather fringe on ebay.  Added to solo seat with staples.

11th- Highway pegs.  Great quality and only $45.25 for all pieces needed with S/H.  From ebay seller- cyclewarehouseonline , name on ebay- Clamp on Buffalo Foot pegs 1 ¼" Round Tube Harley Touring Crusiser Highway

12th- You can various conchos on ebay to dress up solo seat.

13th-  Thanks to Ted from the VDR Drifter site.  A great engineer who makes the hand shifter for Drifters.  Easy to install but make sure you mark your linkage the tiny rod with two little nuts for the toe and heel shifter.  I had a initial problem with shifter not quite right but THANKS for CDNRatMa –Andy got it adjusted right.

Drifter is painted White Diamond P 3c ((Main body color from 2006-2009 Saturn Corp.)  Went thru autobody paint books and like this color the best.  Have to see it in person and the sun to see it shine.  With factory Candy Cardinal Red.  Also with Gold pinstripe on fenders.